Unsung Hero
by WofOZ
Summary: Danny is a detective born and bred straight out of the book of "law and order", his partner? Not so much. This is a tale of a late night visitor that gives a frustrated detective an awakening to his partner's genuine humanity. Steve McGarrett, the man with the absolute need to make sure everyone ELSE survives. *Sigh*.


**So after tonight's episode I'm not so much impressed... To that end, I'm hoping the show's writers, producers, directors... hell I'll even settle for the Best Boy Grip person to step up and say let's get back to what we're good at and not go completely off the rails.**

***rant done* **

**I still have hopes that the end of this seasons will be a strong take my breath away! Until then, here's another one shot... no idea where this came from but it just seemed right!**

**Enjoy**

**OZ **

* * *

Danny was frustrated; beyond frustrated he was down right grumpy. Idly chewing on a pen as he stared at the litany of e-mails that had appeared in his Five-O Inbox. Emails from every government office that was on the island of Oahu all demanding to know what Five-0 was planning on doing about the mess they made in downtown Waikiki.

True they'd been chasing a murderer who had killed nine tourists in little under a month but that didn't seem to matter to the people who paid the bills. They'd got their man… after Steve drove through three outdoor restaurant patios, caused two car accidents and eventually forced the suspect's vehicle through a jewellery store window.

The saving grace was that no one had been hurt because it was too early in the morning for people to be out yet or the restaurants to be open. Still the property damage done was an immense not to mention all the ruffled feathers.

And all that frustration fell not on the leader of Five-0 but rather on the second in commands shoulders. Why? Long ago the Governor decided Danny had much more "tact" when it came to dealing with angry city officials. Long ago the governor decided Danny was much less of a pain in the ass to deal with when things went pare shaped.

So now, not only did the detective have to write a litany of carefully worded, apology letters and "plans of action" but he also had a stack of paperwork that literally threatened to tip-off his desk it was so high. Requisition forms, permits, permission, accounts, reports, action plans… the list went on.

Five minutes ago, a courrier had come from the Governor's office with another phone books worth of paperwork the office needed to clear their "damage control" efforts in Waikiki.

All this had Danny seeing red particularly at his partner's reckless behaviour. The detective had been so upset he'd actually asked Steve to leave the office for the night about an hour ago. Shortly thereafter, Danny had sent Chin and Kono home as well, knowing he needed to be alone to concentrate on his work.

Steve had protested a little but after suffering a severe tongue lashing for the fifth time that day, he'd relented and gone home. Steve it seemed didn't see anything wrong with getting the job done. As he tried to argue back with Danny by saying; "I knew no one was in danger, Danny. I knew what I was doing and if busting up a few windows gets it done I'm all for it. Sometimes you need to crack a few eggs to make an omelet."

That had been the first argument of the day and actually had Danny walk away from his partner for fear he'd punch the man in the face. Over the course of the day, it just got worse and finally Danny couldn't even hear Steve's voice without clenching his fists.

Thus led to him telling the man to leave and thankfully Steve had enough sense to realize his partner needed to cool down and that wouldn't happen with him around. Chin and Kono had tried to offer help with the paperwork but Danny had turned them down simply because he had a system and with so much work he didn't have time to explain it to them.

So here he was, ten o'clock at night and he was only halfway done. Of course it didn't help that every time he had to write "Commander McGarrett" into a report he had to pause and take a few deep breaths.

Deciding he needed coffee and a break, Danny stood up to do just that and raid McGarrett's office knowing the man usually kept snacks in his desk drawer for the cases that he was to obsessed with to go home for days on end.

Minutes later and his mission accomplished; the detective was munching his way through his second granola with his feet up on Steve's desk when he heard the main door to the office open. He stood up and got ready to tear into Steve if he thought he could just saunter back in and try once again to "help".

However when he exited the office he was confused and curious to find a man with two canes hobbling his way into the office. The man looked to be in his mid thirties and quite healthy in spite of the canes and a large jagged scar that ran the length of his neck disappeared under the collar and reappeared on his right arm.

"Can I help you?" Danny asked. He wasn't really in the mood for visitors particularly at this odd time of night. The man with a curious glint in his eye smiled.

"Sorry I know it's late but uh… I saw the light on from outside," he replied. "Is Commander McGarrett here by any chance?"

"No," Danny said through grit teeth. "The walking disaster's gone home for the night leaving me with all the paperwork and apologies."

"Bad day?" the man asked. Danny snorted.

"To say the least," he replied. There was something about the man's body language that Danny couldn't quite put his finger on. In any case, the man's simple question had sounded so genuinely sympathetic that the detective decided to ease his stance a little. "If you want to leave a message for him I'll make sure he gets it. Or you could come back tomorrow."

"I'm actually just on a layover and I'm flying out early tomorrow morning," the man replied. "Flew in a few hours ago and thought I'd take a chance to see if I could see the Commander. Oh well, guess it wasn't meant to be." The smile on the man's face faded as he winced and looked down at his legs. "You know, this building is REALLY not wheelchair accessible, took me a half hour to get up those damn stairs."

"Sorry about that," Danny said not even sure why he was apologizing. "The elevator's actually at the back of the building away from the front door."

"Well sh**, where were you a half hour ago?" the man chuckled. However with another wince, Danny noticed just how exhausted the man looked and oddly felt a need to do something, ANYTHING that would make him feel like he was more than a punching bag for the Governor.

"You want to sit down for a bit? McGarrett's got some beers in his office and I'd love to relieve him off them," Danny offered.

"Ah, the magic words," the mysterious stranger nodded.

It was only after they were settled in Steve's office, when Danny handed the man a beer did the stranger speak.

"Names Aaron Pratch," he introduced.

"Detective Danny Williams," Danny returned in kind. "So how do you and Steve know each other?" Aaron shrugged and sipped his beer.

"Don't really know each other all that well," he replied. "Guess you could say I owe him my life." To this Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I was a Captain flying Black-Hawks when Afghanistan was just kicking off," Aaron explained. "Took an RPG to the tail rotor and went down hard. If it wasn't for McGarrett I wouldn't be here today." Curious and tired of paper work Danny sat back in his seat.

"Sounds like a heck of a story," Danny replied. Pratch blew out a breath and gave a sad laugh.

"Pretty crazy really. I mean, he had no reason to be there and no reason to stay…"

**AFGHANISTAN YEARS EARLIER:**

Aaron Pratch was sure he was dead. All he could remember was his Mikey, his co-pilot screaming "RPG" and then the world exploded. He'd come too moments ago only to find the part of him that weren't in severe pain were numb. He knew the warm liquid that was flowing into his eye was blood and knew he probably had minutes before whoever shot that RPG would be on the wreckage.

Looking to his right nearly made him throw up as Mikey clearly didn't survive the crash. A large piece of shrapnel had impaled the man and his lifeless eyes started blankly out the cracked windshield in front of them.

'He's gone, you need to move,' Aaron thought to himself trying to get himself together. However the second he tried to shift a burning sensation road through both his legs causing him to cry out in pain.

Only then did it register that the front part of the helicopter had crumbled in and the instrument panel had him pinned in his seat.

"G*d damn it," Aaron half-cursed half-cried. He fought against the panel for a few more seconds before he knew it was a lost cause. "Come on," he sniffed. "Please… Anything G*d, I'll do anything just… please don't let me go out like this," he muttered.

About a half hour more of futile struggling and suddenly there was a thud, then another and then Aaron heard the back door of the helicopter being forced open. Afraid he was about to be taken prisoner or killed, Aaron grabbed his sidearm and readied himself to keep shooting until he was out of bullets.

Due to his position, he couldn't turn to see who had just climbed into the wreckage but he could hear heavy boots moving toward the cabin.

"I swear if you're here to kill me I ain't goina make it easy. I'm having a bit of a real bad day, you see," he snarled. Then oddly instead of being yelled at in Arabic, Aaron heard a gruff laugh.

"I bet you are," said a voice. Finally the owner of the voice came into view. The man had intense greenish blue eyes with a sparkle of mischief and jet black hair peeking out from under his military issue helmet. Curiously under the man's right eye was an impressive bloody gash.

"You're American," Aaron asked in hope. They were still fairly far from the nearest US base which was where Aaron had been heading when they were shot down over the mountains.

"You got it fly boy," the man replied with a grin. "What's say we get you out of here before the Taliban decides to come for souvenirs?"

"Love too, as soon as you can find me a crow bar I'll be right… ugh… right behind you," Aaron winced as another wave of pain shot through him. "Bit stuck ya see." The dark-haired American took off his helmet and put it to one side with his rifle as he surveyed the situation.

While he looked over the wreck, Aaron had nothing else to do but to observe the man who was so close to him. His eyes first landed on a few torn and bloody patches on the man's uniform and wondered if he'd injured the man during the crash. It was the only way to explain how his potential saviour was here in the middle of no where.

The second thing Aaron noticed was the man's insignia on his fatigues. The Navy SEAL crest was nice and prominent, albeit a little dirty, on the man's shoulder.

"A SEAL," Aaron coughed out through his pain. "I'm never going to live this down. I'm supposed t, to be saving you guys." The man smiled a wicked grin that Aaron had no doubt made him quite popular with the ladies.

"If it makes you feel better, I just about damn near died four hours ago so if I pass out you make sure to return the whole "saving me" favor, deal?" the man replied. It was clear the man had his own wince or two of pain and the more aware Aaron became he realized something was amiss.

"Don't you sailors travel in pairs?" he asked.

"Yup," said his dark-haired saviour. "Decided to fall off a mountain and got separated from the pack." Aaron blinked, maybe it was the concussion or the increasing pain.

"Sorry… what?" he asked. Finally those green-blue eyes found his again.

"Classified," he replied. "But I can say, bullets were flying and it was jump off a cliff or get shot. I decided to do both." Finally when the man shifted around the wreckage and started to clear any loose debris from around Aaron did the pilot see a neat little hole through the man's thigh.

"Jesus you've been shot!" Aaron barked.

"Happens sometimes," The Navy SEAL replied. He ducked low for a second and Aaron bit back a cry of pain when he felt hands on his legs. Another jerk and he could no longer hold it in giving a howl of protest.

"I already told you I'm stuck!" he barked.

"And I concur with your assessment," the Navy SEAL agreed reappearing. "But not that bad and the fact that you just felt what I was doing is a damn good sign. I think I can get you out of here." Aaron closed his eyes and fought the urge to cry, that was all he wanted. The idea of being a sitting duck with no chance of putting up a good fight actually made him sick to his stomach. At least if he was free, he could give as good as he got.

"Anything," he said quietly. His voice must have been a little more broken then he'd really meant it to be. When he opened his eyes again the SEAL was right there in front of him, a hand on his shoulder. Aaron fought back the tears of fear and pain; "Just give me a chance to fight," he said. The smile on the man's face returned and damn it all if Aaron didn't find some comfort.

"You and me are going home okay fly boy?" he asked. "Do you have a back up radio?" Aaron furrowed his brow as he tried to get his brain to work again. He was sure they had an emergency kit in the chopper somewhere. A kit that had a radio for when a situation like this arose. He remembered Mikey thinking it was stupid to take on the miniscule but extra weight but their commanding officer had insisted.

Aaron would have to tell the man how much he appreciated that.

"It's uh… Uh… damn… under Mikey, I think… sorry," he slurred. The concussion was really doing a number on his mind.

"Don't be sorry," the SEAL replied with much honesty. He moved over to Mikey's body and with a lot of care, removed the man from his chair. Aaron couldn't be sure but he thought he heard the man mutter an apology and "good luck brother" to the corpse. There was something about that that put Aaron a little more at ease.

This strange solider before him valued human life to the greatest extent even after that life was lost. The SEAL was part of a rare breed that pushed himself beyond his limits, beyond human expectations and still maintained a respect for life despite having every reason to tell the world to go to hell.

If Aaron was going to die in this hell, leaving his beautiful wife a widow, he was at least glad to be honoured by a man like that witnessing his end.

At some point, Aaron must have lost consciousness because a biting pain to his cheek suddenly had him snapping his eyes open and gasping.

"Don't die on me fly boy," the SEAL said. "Not when we've already gotten so cozy together." Aaron struggled to raise his head and look at the man who was yet again, smiling like they were sipping Mai-Tais on a beach. "Look what I found," the SEAL said proudly. In his hand he raised the emergency radio that was mercifully in tact.

"S'order a pizza," Aaron chuckled in his delirium. "You think they deliver to the ass end of hell?" The Navy SEAL despite his own winces laughed as he sat next to Aaron.

"Hopefully, haven't eaten in two days," he replied. "I'd kill for some Hawaiian pizza right now." Aaron made a face, this time not out of pain but disgust.

"You've got an odd taste in food, my friend," he replied.

"I'm Hawaiian, brah," the SEAL smirked. "Pineapple is a condiment in my books." Forcing himself to focus with the aid of a shot of curious adrenaline, Aaron raised a bloody eyebrow.

"You are a LONG way from home, buddy," he chuckled mirthless.

"Aren't we all brother, aren't we all," the SEAL replied. The man turned on the radio and after a few flicks of switching channels he brought the radio to his lips. "Bravo niner echo, this is roger tango alpha, do you copy?" When a bunch of static came as the reply, Aaron closed his eyes and prayed. With a shaky hand he reached into his flight suit pocket and pulled out the one photograph he always carried with him.

It was a picture of his beautiful wife Cindy on the day of their wedding. At the moment, he realized how much it meant to him to have that picture. A picture the woman would give him before each tour with the promise that he would bring it back to her.

"Pretty lady; the wife?" the SEAL asked. Aaron nodded, not even realizing he'd started to cry. "Hold on to that picture brah, you'll need it when you soften the blow of telling her you got shot out of the sky." A laugh bubbled up in Aaron's injured body and he let it loose.

"She wants to have kids," he explained, not sure why he was doing so with a complete stranger. "And I want to have kids with her. Jus'fraid I'm not "dad" material."

"Bravo niner echo, this is roger tango alpha, I repeat, do you copy?" The SEAL tried again, he was multitasking now as he turned back to Aaron and smiled again. Always with that damn smile. "Do you love her?"

"More than anything," Aaron replied immediately.

"Then you'll find a way to be a dad," the SEAL said with much certainty. Aaron tried to adjust himself only to wince in pain. His saviour put the radio down and grabbed his rifle wedging it between the floor of the cabin and the dash.

"You got… ugh… kids?" Aaron asked.

"Don't need'em," the man replied. "I've got the Navy." Aaron laughed again and this time managed a shake of the head.

"Well that's healthy," he snorted.

"Not much of a family man," the SEAL replied. Then he pointed to Cindy's picture, "I'd much rather make sure guys like you get back to ladies like that." Aaron felt tears well up and this time, there was no stopping them. This man was truly a good man, an angel sent to answer his prayers.

"Whatever happens… thank you, thank you for being here," Aaron said with a crack in his voice. It looked like the SEAL was about to say something when suddenly the radio crackled and hissed to life.

"Roger tango alpha this is bravo niner echo… McGarrett where the hell are you?" came a worried and frustrated voice. This time the smile that crossed the SEAL's face was one of quiet relief and confidence. For a simple gesture, such as a smile, the man sure had a number of very distinguishable faces.

"You know me Fitzy," the SEAL now "McGarrett" replied. "Couldn't wait around for you guys to come get me so I decided to hike back to base. Decided to stumble across that downed Blackhawk we heard over the radio and save its pilot. Copy?" There was static and then the reply came through again.

"Copy roger tango alpha… did you just say found a downed Blackhawk?" the voice asked.

"Authentication Lima six four niner niner eight three," Aaron coughed up. McGarrett repeated the authentication over the radio, their position and said they needed immediate air support and evacuation.

"No sh**," came the unorthodox reply over the radio. "Be advised McGarrett, you've got a bunch of ugly a half click west of your position and closing." Aaron wasn't entirely sure what that meant but judging by the new face on his saviour's visage it meant nothing good.

"Copy that Fitzy, ETA on rescue?"

"Not fast enough," was the reply. "Are you mobile?" Aaron blushed with the feeling of uselessness. McGarrett decided to act however, he put the radio down and with a mighty heavy peeled away metal and machine to free Aaron's legs. Amazed at the feet of strength all the pilot could do was sit there in shock and pain, staring at the mountain of a man who'd just freed him.

"We are officially mobile," McGarrett replied through the radio. "Just tell me where I need to be."

"Find cover, hunker down, and get ready for a fire fight," "Fitzy" replied. "Air support and rescue ETA is six hours; your ugly is three hours out." Aaron felt a feeling of dread come over him as McGarrett's face puckered into a "you've got to be kidding me slash I'm having an aneurysm" face.

But as soon as the look came, the SEAL smiled again, nothing was going to shake this man.

"We got this," he said to himself or Aaron the pilot would never know. Then he pulled the radio up and replied.

"I'll see you in six hours Fitzy and you owe me a beer for getting me shot you prick," he called out. A chuckle came back over the line before "Fitzy" said;

"McGarrett, I owe you more than a beer and I intend to pay my debt in full, don't make me a liar." In Aaron's fogged mind he knew the voice on the other end of the line had been helped or even saved by whatever action had led McGarrett to his side at the moment. He also knew that voice was a friend would do everything, ANYTHING to get McGarrett home safe. Plus side? Aaron was now with McGarrett which hopefully would lead to his quick rescue too.

"Copy that," McGarrett smiled with "accepting face" making an appearance.

"Get cover close to your location bravo niner echo," the radio voice said. "Help will be there as fast we can and we WILL bring the rain."

Aaron regained consciousness for the fourth time in about three hours again without even realizing he'd dropped off. This time however, he heard a groan and a hiss of pain and was surprised it hadn't come from him. He looked up at the setting sun, blinked a few times to orient himself before rolling his head to his left.

McGarrett had hauled him out of the helicopter's wreckage much to Aaron's suffering, and brought him to a small enclosure of rocks and boulders. That was the first time the pilot had passed out. The second time was after he'd seen how well and truly screwed up his legs were and the Navy SEAL McGarrett had no choice but to try to splint and restrain the appendages.

The third time he passed out when he'd been injected with morphine after arguing with the SEAL that he didn't need it and that it should be saved when one or both was way past help. That was something Aaron wasn't anywhere near willing to accept as his saviour had inspired an extreme and rabid will to live in him that the pilot didn't even know he was capable of.

The fourth time, Aaron knew his injuries were finally starting to get the better of him. While McGarrett had gone to do a quick recon, the pilot had leaned back against the rocks, saw a fly or bee or whatever the hell, fly by and it was the last thing he could recall before waking up.

This time when he looked at McGarrett he saw the man pulling tight on a makeshift bandage on his thigh. The pain was more than evident the SEAL's eyes but he was doing an amazing job at hiding it.

"You're hurt," Aaron managed. Except it came out more like "Rrr'urt."

"Yep," Steve grunted as he finished his own treatment. "But we're about to get some company so we'll just have to deal." Aaron's own body had given up the energy or will to move long ago but amazingly, McGarrett rolled over and got into a crouch position with his rifle tucked against his body. His eyes were deadly serious; his face telling a story of "failure is not an option" as he used a good hand to clutch Aaron's shoulder.

Only then did Aaron realize this man, who he didn't even know, this soldier slash angel of protection, was willing to die for him; was willing to put everything on the line despite his own injuries to make sure he got back to his wife. Aaron felt tears well up in his eyes;

"I don't even know your first name," he choked. The Navy SEAL straightened his spine, injuries and all, and smiled a grin of a man who was completely ready to die for a good cause. Aaron had never felt so scared and so safe all at the same time.

"Steve," was the reply. He pulled Aaron's long since useless hand into his own and gave it a sturdy shake. "Steve McGarrett from Oahu, Hawaii. You?"

"Aaron Pratch," the pilot choked back his tears. "New Jersey." Steve McGarrett, aka Aaron's saviour smiled even wider.

"Jersey eh?" the man replied. He took up Aaron's side arm, pressed it into the man's hand and squeezed his fingers around it. As he did so, Steve grabbed the pilot by the back of the neck and gave another solid reaffirming squeeze. "You use this weapon, you use it and you shoot anything uglier than me, you get that? Do you understand?" Aaron was shaking, he knew he was but still, something about the man before him fuelled his confidence.

"Y, yeah," he croaked.

"Good man," Steve McGarrett, the Navy SEAL, the hero and saviour said with much confidence. "We're going to get out of this Aaron Pratch and you're going to name your first kid after the magnificently handsome Navy man who saved your ass from this crap hole."

"I will," Aaron said with deadly seriousness. "I swear to G*d I will, Steve McGarrett."

**PRESENT DAY**

Danny couldn't stop staring at the man sitting in front of him with a wide-eyed thousand yard stare. There was so much emotion in that look that the detective didn't dare speak, especially because he now knew they shared a connection via their hometown geography.

"The rescue was late, got held up by high winds, lack of resources and mechanical issues," Aaron, the war survivor, went on. "Barely remember the seven hours it took to get pulled out of there," he said. "But I do remember hearing his rifle. I remember hearing him fighting to save my life. Fighting to save his own life and just… fighting. He gave me my side arm to help fight because he knew I wanted to but couldn't and yet he still fought like I'd be able to shake off my mangled body and be right there with him; be half the man he was to me and help kick ass."

It wasn't that Danny's heart was racing in his chest nor that he as ignorant enough to think that war was all romance and epic drama. He'd never gone on a tour with the military and he accepted the fact that he'd never quite understand what made Steve the man he was. At the same time, he'd heard just enough, seen enough secret haunted looks to know there was something more in a soldier's heart. As a veteran detective, Danny was unfortunately aware of the darkness in human hearts and how easily it was to misguide the innocent.

"McGarrett took a round to the shoulder and one to the arm on top of the one he already had to the leg," Aaron went on. Danny felt his breath catch, he'd always known Steve was a hardcore Navy man, he'd also known despite his bravado, the Commander was a big softy at heart. Steve could burn the world to the ground but it would be simply but more so justly because the world simply needed to be burned to the ground.

Not that the man would ever needlessly forget his humanity, his belief in the good world and knowing every minute action he did could potentially affect someone negatively. Danny thought about the times that Steve had put his team's safety above his own; there were dozens. Then the detective tried to think of moments were Steve had been selfish, tried to save himself… there were none.

"When we were finally pulled out of there we got sent in different directions," Aaron kept going, not even recognizing how shock frozen still Danny had become. "It was three weeks before I was coherent enough to know what was going on," the pilot explained. "By that point the infamous "Steve McGarrett" Navy SEAL was a myth around the water cooler."

Shaking his head, Danny tried to put two and two together and figure out how this man before him came to be.

"So how did you finally track him down?" the detective asked.

"Didn't," the man replied adjusting his weakened legs. "Believed I'd never see him again, even wondered if he was dead and then I pick up a newspaper."

"The paper?" Danny encouraged. Aaron laughed and nodded with a lot of disbelief and enthusiasm.

"I was visiting a friend stationed overseas," he chuckled. "My return flight had me laying over here on Oahu before heading back to New York. I get off the flight, aching and pissed off, stumble into an airport bar and there he is."

"Steve?" Danny asked like a child waiting for more. Aaron nodded.

"It was a news report," he answered. "I was in that bar ready to get messed up and forget my own mind when I see this report that Five-0 led by Commander Steve McGarrett destroyed half of down town Waikiki." Groaning slightly Danny shook his head.

"It wasn't that bad," he found himself defending. "It was early in the morning and the guy knows what he was doing."

"I believe it," Aaron replied. "I don't even know Steve McGarrett besides his name but I know, news stories can say whatever they want… the man who gave me a second chance is not capable of doing anything more than protecting those who deserve it."

"He's definitely a special character," Danny smiled affectionately without realizing it. Aaron reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a picture and handed it to the detective. Danny took it and suddenly found himself fighting his own onslaught of tears. The picture was of Aaron, his wife and two twin toddlers, a boy and a girl.

"My legs were shattered in that crash, my spines all messed up but I made it back to my beautiful lady and now we've got those two awesome kids," Aaron explained. "Guess I just wanted Steve to know their names." Danny was too stunned, to overwhelmed to form coherent thoughts, instead he just smiled at the picture before looking up.

"Their names?" he asked full well knowing he could have guessed the answer. Aaron's face lit up like the fourth of July as a proud father should.

"Steve and Maggie," the former pilot replied. "After the man who made their lives possible… Can you make sure he gets this picture?" Danny saw images of Grace, his own daughter dance through his brain and thought of the times he'd been lucky enough to survive his own dangerous job to come home and see that baby girl smile.

"It'll be the first thing I do next," Danny replied. "Why don't you give me your contact information? I'm sure Steve would LOVE to indulge his ego by meeting the kids that are named after him for being a freaking ninja." Aaron Pratch laughed before putting down his empty beer and using his canes to get to his feet.

"Cindy and I would love that," he replied. Then with a glance at his watch he shook his head and huffed out a breath. "Sorry to keep you so long with my stupid war story Detective Williams, I just can't believe I actually found THE Steve McGarrett again. I have to get back to my hotel and do some physio before the plane ride tomorrow morning but I'm glad at least someone was here."

Danny's whole body hummed with life as a smile grew on his face.

"So am I," he replied. "You and the family are welcome back anytime."

"'Preciate it," Aaron replied. He scribbled down his information on one of Danny's business cards before saying goodbye and heading toward the door. Danny, for whatever reason, walked the man all the way to the main entrance of Five-0 then to the elevator hidden at the back of the building that would lead this former pilot back to the main floor.

Another quick goodbye and the war vet was on the elevator headed down. Seconds before the door slid shut, Danny flinched when Aaron jammed his hand between the elevator doors keeping them open. The look in the man's eyes was something Danny had very rarely seen before. It was the look of a man who had nothing to lose but had harshly learned he had everything to gain.

"Promise me you'll reign in McGarrett's reckless disregard to protecting himself Detective," the former pilot urged. "Whatever you guys do here in Hawaii to incur the media's attention, promise me you will not let a good man die when I know he's probably got a thousand more lives to save under his belt. I ain't that special, wasn't then and ain't now but men like Steve… they are. They are and the world is better for it."

The intensity of the moment almost had Danny shaking but instead he reigned it in and smiled. The emotion and gratitude this man was showing toward his partner was nothing Danny didn't know and expect from his Five-0 partner.

"I promise you that and one better," the detective replied. "I'll beat the pineapple pizza topping thing out of him if it takes me my entire life." At that, the disabled man barked out a hearty laugh and nodded.

"New York brother's unite," he joked. "Take care Williams and… damn, good luck." Those were the final parting words with the stranger that had suddenly walked into Danny's life and amazingly U-turned his rage toward his current partner.

For almost an hour Danny sat in his office, staring at the photograph of Aaron and his family. It finally dawned on Danny that the main reason he'd been so angry at Steve being so reckless was because the guy constantly thought he was invincible.

The Jersey detective had started to actually feel comfortable around the man knowing no matter what happened, his daughter Grace was in good hands. Steve didn't know what "giving up" meant and as much as Danny complained it was more so he worried about the man getting hurt in the line of duty or worse.

Suddenly on autopilot, Danny didn't think until he was at his partner's door at two am with beers in his arms. He rang the door bell then knocked only to have a half awake Navy SEAL open the door and put on his "what the heck is going on" face.

"Danny?" the man grunted. Then waking up almost in the blink of an eye, the Navy SEAL was wide awake and checked the surrounding area for potential danger. "You okay?" he asked. Danny laughed, he laughed and shook his head.

"Fine," he replied. "You know this whole "sleep with one eye open Rambo" deal you've got going on is kind of hilarious Steve." The Navy man rolled his eyes and ran a hand down his face.

"Look Danno, you wanted me to leave the office and give you space so I did," he sighed. "I screwed up the other day, okay? I'm sorry, I am. I'm not sorry we nailed that son of a bitch to the wall but I am sorry I caused you so much grief. You're my partner and I-"

Danny cut the man off with a wave of the hand and pushed the willingly pliant SEAL back into his own home.

"I've got beer," he said. "Open up the Chips DVD's and let's get this two-man party started." Steve's face was confused at first but seeing that his once furious partner was suddenly being nice and genuine to him, he nodded like an eager puppy and guided Danny further into his home.

An hour later, Steve handed Danny another beer before cracking his own as they continued well into the morning with their DVD marathon. They'd chatted about various things but ten minutes of silence overcame both; Steve broke into both their thoughts and said;

"What's up Danno?" And there was genuine concern there, genuine, the Navy man would do anything to make sure Danny was okay and could get back to his daughter. The detective looked at his partner and thought of Aaron Pratch.

"I've got a story to tell you in the morning babe," he answered honestly. "But tonight, let's just enjoy life." Steve blinked in confusion then blinked in amusement and finally blinked a third time in contentment before falling back to the sofa cushions and nodding.

"Can do partner," the Commander replied. A beat later and Steve looked at the beer in his hand before frowning. "This beer is from my office, isn't it?" he dead-panned. Danny's eyes widened as did his grin.

"That's what you get for the paperwork you left me with," he replied.

"You WANTED me to go!" Steve barked in mock protest. "You told me to leave you alone so what? It was all because you wanted to drink my private stash?" Danny snickered a bit before raising his beer to his befuddled partner and answering.

It was so I could appreciate a good man," he said honestly. Then raised a brow, took a sip of his beer and added; "And to punish you for the several new grey hairs that appeared on my head that were supposed to wait until Grace's first date."

"That girls got a Navy SEAL and an over protective detective father behind her," Steve said as he absent-mindedly sank back into the sofa cushion and focused on the TV before him. "I'VE got grey hairs thinking about how much bitching you'll do when she gets there so I guarantee I'll be the first one running extensive background checks on anyone who dares blink at her in a suggestive nature. She's my Ohana too babe."

Danny didn't know what to do with that comment, it swelled his heart with warmth and it filled his entire body with confidence that his baby girl would forever know the love and attention she deserved whether he was there or not.

"Aaron Pratch named his twins after you," the detective, the father blurted out. Steve's head snapped away from the TV to look at his partner in disbelief.

"What!?" he asked incredulously and yet with a clear and complete recognition of that name. Danny snickered before letting his tired body relax into his fuzzy beer induced haze and smiled.

"Congrats Uncle Steve, looks like your Ohana just got a little bit bigger."

* * *

**Huh... where did THAT come from? Lol**

**Hope you liked it, would love to hear reviews and for those "diehards", I do have military experience (not American) but not enough to make my "lingo" in this story legit. I wrote this story because it felt good and I hope anyone reading this will in turn write a story that makes them just as happy!**

**Reviews always welcome and loved!**

**Oz**


End file.
